No one had touched a single hair on King Caerbhall’s head since he had been locked up in one of the cells of the compound, perhaps that was why he was angrier than could be expected. Mind you, the gag hadn’t been removed either so he wouldn’t disturb, so the mixture of drool with blood and sweat had brought His Majesty down a couple of notches on the seat of royalty.

Finally, around noon, he felt himself being dragged out of the cell and into the center of the complex. There was no auditorium there, but it seemed that everyone had settled where they could to see what was about to happen.

Eleven elders served as jurors, and the trial was presided over by Dereck, the Alpha of the European packs.

Rhiannon stood off to the side with two of her paladins because Maddox was busy patrolling back and forth along the compound wall, from one tower to the other, as if readying himself for some attack from the outside.

“Everything all right with him?” Alanna asked Rhiannon pointing towards him, an